elections happen. there are consequences to those elections. yes, i think you'll see a different product come out. but i think the key is you're going to see a balanced approach with both revenue and spending cuts. you're going to see at least $4 trillion because that is the minimum amount you have to reduce the deficit in order to stabilize the debt and get it on a downward path as a percent of g.d.p. >> ifill: you said a moment ago that this is theater. these are both like opening bids that either side is going to reject. how do we get past that? how do they get past that if, in fact, the catastrophe everyone is warning about is to be avoided. >> if they got to agreement the way washington is too quickly, their own side would just kill 'em because they wouldn't think they had negotiated hard enough. you know, they've got to go through this exchange. this is no different than when, you know, you list your house, you know, you put up one price, somebody comes in with a lower price, you kind of reach a middle ground. the thing i'm sure of is tha